🌏 5 key events that defined the Asia-Pacific - from Feb. 6 to Feb. 12

🇹🇼🇨🇳 The Kuomintang party leader visited China

Andrew Hsia, a senior leader of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party, visited China and met its top Taiwan policy-maker. He urged Beijing to help reduce cross-strait tensions.

🇵🇭🇯🇵 Philippines' Marcos visited Japan

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr arrived in Japan on Wednesday. Two countries signed a deal to allow their armed forces to work together during disaster relief operations. If you are interested in the topic, consider reading a brief analysis on the current status of the bilateral relations.

🇰🇵 Nighttime military parade in North Korea

During the parade the DPRK displayed more intercontinental ballistic missiles than ever before (11 Hwasong-17s). A new solid-fuel ICBM in canister launchers also might have been shown.

🇰🇷 South Korea's parliament votes to impeach minister

South Korean lawmakers voted on Wednesday to impeach the interior minister, Lee Sang-min, over his responses to a deadly Halloween crush in Itaewon. Consider reading the post about how the tragedy is linked to the current domestic policy of the Yoon administration here.

🇨🇳 China spotted a mystery object

An unidentified flying object was detected over waters near a northern Chinese port city close to the Bohai Sea. The sighting comes as the People’s Liberation Army holds a week-long military exercise in the Bohai Strait.

Stay tuned for a new bite-sized summary next week!

#SouthKorea #Japan #ThePhilippines #China #NorthKorea #Taiwan

@asianomics

🇨🇳🇯🇵 Japan, China top diplomats preparing for informal talks

Top diplomats from Japan and China are preparing to hold informal talks on the sidelines of an international conference in Germany.

China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, will attend the Munich Security Conference this month. Kyodo said arrangements were being made for him to meet informally with Japan's foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi, on the sidelines.

#China #Japan

@asianomics

🇮🇳 India to triple defense exports

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday set out ambitions to more than triple annual defense exports to US$5 billion over the next two years.

In addition, the country is looking to sign defense deals worth 750 billion rupees (US$9 billion) at the biennial five-day Aero India event, its biggest ever.

New Delhi’s export ambitions are a sign of its growing clout as it uses the leverage of huge imports to attract investment in its domestic industry.

#India

@asianomics

🇨🇳🇺🇸 China says more than 10 US balloons flew in its airspace

China on Monday claimed that more than 10 US high-altitude balloons have flown in its airspace during the past year without its permission.

The Chinese allegation came after the US shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that had crossed from Alaska to South Carolina.

In Washington, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said Monday that any claim that the US government operates surveillance balloons over China is false.

#China #USA

@asianomics

🇨🇳🇺🇸 US denied Chinese accusations over balloons in its airspace

The US government swiftly and repeatedly denied China's accusation that US high-altitude balloons had flown over its airspace without permission more than 10 times since the beginning of 2022.

"There is no U.S. surveillance aircraft in Chinese airspace," John Kirby reiterated at a White House press briefing. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said separately that there are no US government balloons over China.

#China #USA

@asianomics

🇵🇭 Philippine mayor gives singles extra pay on Valentine's Day

A life-long bachelor mayor in the Philippines, Matt Florido, is giving single staff extra pay on Tuesday for Valentine’s Day, to show gratitude for the extra hours they work and show that “someone loves them”.

Lonely hearts at General Luna town hall in Quezon province will receive three times their normal daily wage if they have been single for more than five years.

“On Valentine’s Day, no one will give them chocolates, flowers... so we thought of giving them this kind of incentive so they can also feel someone cares for them, someone loves them,” Matt Florido said.

#ThePhilippines

@asianomics

🇰🇮🇵🇼🇳🇷🇲🇭🇫🇲🇺🇸 Pacific island leaders expect visit by US president

The leaders of five Pacific’s nations said on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden would soon visit their region for a leaders' summit.

The leaders of Kiribati, Palau, Nauru, Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), met and discussed the "value of a visit by US President to the Pacific sometime in the near future".

"It will be of instrumental importance for the Pacific to ensure the United States continues to re-engage, as thoroughly as possible, with our Blue Pacific Continent," FSM president David Panuelo said.

#Kiribati #Palau #Nauru #MarshalIslands #Micronesia #USA

@asianomics

🇨🇳🇺🇸 Top diplomats from US and China consider a meeting

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is considering meeting top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference starting this week.

According to Reuters sources, such a meeting is possible but nothing has been confirmed.

Earlier this month, Blinken postponed a planned trip to Beijing due to what he called an unacceptable violation of U.S. sovereignty and airspace by a Chinese surveillance balloon.

#China #USA

@asianomics

🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines files protest to China over use of laser

The Philippines on Tuesday filed a diplomatic protest calling on Beijing to ensure its vessels cease "aggressive activities" after Manila accused China's coast guard of trying to block one of its ships in the South China Sea using a laser.

According to Manila, a Chinese coast guard ship directed a military-grade laser at one of the vessels in the disputed waterway, temporarily blinding its crew on the bridge.

China's foreign ministry said on Monday that its coast guard had conducted actions according to the law.

#China #ThePhilippines

@asianomics

🇨🇳🇮🇷 Iranian President Raisi meets Xi in state visit to China

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi met his counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday at the start of a three-day visit to China aimed at boosting trade and economic ties.

Raisi brought a large delegation to Beijing, including his central bank chief and ministers for oil and mining, and is expected to sign a number of cooperation documents with Xi.

#China #Iran

@asianomics

🇯🇵🇺🇸 Japan to conclude contract for Tomahawks next financial year

Japan plans to bulk-order Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States by March next year as it begins a rapid military build-up.
Tokyo is expected to conclude a contract with Raytheon Technologies Corp. during the next financial year.

Japan wants the cruise missile to give its military the capability to strike targets far from Japan to deter potential adversaries, including China, from attacking.

#Japan #USA

@asianomics

🇲🇲 Deadly blast in Myanmar

Three people were killed and nine wounded in a bomb blast at a railway station in southern Myanmar on Monday. The blast hit a station at Nyaunglaybin township in Bago region around 150 kilometers north of Yangon.

The junta statement blamed anti-coup People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) for the attack, without offering evidence. There was no statement from the Bago region PDF.

#Myanmar

@asianomics

🇨🇳 UFOs in China's airspace

Unidentified flying objects was recorded by locals in Heilongjiang province on the 13th of February. The video shows that they are extremely fast and vary in shape.

The flying objects resemble small fireballs that disappear within seconds of appearing in the sky. These are not exactly a rocket plume or meteor.

An unidentified flying object was also detected near the waters of the city of Rizhao on Sunday.

I wonder if it can be assumed that there are several objects in the sky. If so, China has definitely surpassed the USA and Canada in the number of UFOs that visited the airspace of two countries recently.

#China

@asianomics

🇨🇳🇵🇭 Philippines president summons China envoy over laser incident

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr summoned China's ambassador on Tuesday to express his concern over China's recent actions in the South China Sea.

"These acts of aggression by China are disturbing and disappointing," Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Teresita Daza said in a statement announcing the filing of the diplomatic protest, among the hundreds Manila has lodged against Beijing.

In response, Ambassador Huang Xilian said he discussed with Marcos how to implement the consensus reached by the two countries on managing maritime differences during the Philippine leader's China visit.

#China #ThePhilippines

@asianomics

🇰🇷🇯🇵 Seoul court rules against plaintiffs in Japanese wartime labor case

A South Korean court on Tuesday ruled against the family of a man who was enslaved during World War II in a damages suit filed against a Japanese company.

A lot of Koreans were connoscripted into forced labor by Japan during its 35-year occupation. In 2019, five family members of a victim filed a civil suit against Japanese company Nishimatsu seeking about 70 million won ($54519) in compensation.

The family members said the man died two years after first being pressed into labor for the company and that he had suffered mental anguish due to Japan’s “illegal colonial rule”.

But the Seoul Central District Court concluded on Tuesday that the statute of limitations on the case had already expired.

The ruling comes as the South seeks closer ties with Tokyo to counter North Korea, and about a month after Seoul said it was considering compensating victims of Japan’s forced wartime labor without the direct participation of Japanese companies.

#SouthKorea #Japan

@asianomics

🇹🇼 Taiwan threatens to shoot down any Chinese balloons

Amid speculation over alleged Chinese spy balloons, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it would shoot down any suspected military object coming close to its shores from mainland China.

Maj. Gen. Huang Wen-chi, the assistant deputy chief of general staff for intelligence, told reporters that Taiwan was on guard for any incursions, but had yet to find any that had penetrated its defenses.

Balloons found so far around Taiwan were used for meteorological exploration, he said. They were relatively small and light and would burst after rising to an altitude that could be threatening. Taiwan has yet to find targets requiring a lethal response, he claimed.

#Taiwan

@asianomics

🇰🇷 Ongoing protests in Korea over Itaewon tragedy

Families of victims of Itaewon crush gathered at the altar in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, next to the City Hall. I’ve recently wrote a post about the role of this place in protest movement in South Korea. The authorities are trying to do everything in order to stop protesters from gathering in this place.

However, those at the protests managed to establish the altar without the city of Seoul’s approval. Seoul had notified families that the altar must be removed by 1pm KST, citing how the altar is against its “principle” of using Gwanghwamun Square.

A lawyer in support of the families, however, states that the families have not received any formal notice on administrative execution to remove the altar. “It’s not something they can merely notify via media articles,” she says.

#SouthKorea

@asianomics

🇺🇸🇵🇭🇨🇳 US renews warning it’ll defend Philippines after China spat

The United States renewed a warning that it would defend its treaty ally if Filipino forces come under attack in the disputed South China Sea.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said China’s “dangerous behavior directly threatens regional peace and stability, infringes upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.”

“The United States stands with our Philippine allies,” Price stated.

He claimed that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, would invoke US mutual defense commitments under a 1951 treaty.

#USA #ThePhilippines #China

@asianomics

🇰🇷🇯🇵 South Korea, Japan seek ways to mend ties in bilateral talks

Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan held rare bilateral talks in Washington on Monday, seeking to mend ties soured by the prolonged issue of Japan's wartime forced labor.

South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong said the sides will continue to hold discussions but that they have yet to reach any conclusion.

The meeting comes after Seoul proposed establishing a public foundation through which Japanese companies can compensate Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor.

#SouthKorea #Japan

@asianomics